Accepting Opposites
by FallenMystery
Summary: Draco always hated Gryffindors. Hermione always hated... well, just Draco. Unfortunately for the two of them, fate has other plans. Throw in a creepy cabin, a Common Room, and moonlight flibbergibbets, and you get Hermione and Draco's seventh year. FIN
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: If I were JK, you'd be paying to read this. That'll be $21.95, please. Hermione sighed happily. She had just finished riding Dot Com, a beautiful palomino owned by a spoiled rich girl. You see, Hermione loved horses. Her parents had been looking to buy her one, but when she got her Hogwarts letter, a horse was out of the question, as she'd be gone most of the year. So when she was home, she rode and trained horses at a stable owned by her previous riding instructor. Dot Com was her favorite beyond favorite horse to work with. A spirited four-year-old, she began working with him at the beginning of summer, when his owner bought him. Lora, the spoiled rich girl, made her father buy the poor stallion because he matched her hair color. The horse was the deepest yellow, with a perfectly snow-white mane and tail. Hermione was convinced he was the most beautiful thing on four legs. He had a lot of spirit, and took an extremely skilled rider. 

Jenny, Hermione's previous riding instructor, suggested Lora pay Hermione to train the horse when he proved too difficult for the poor rider. Lora's father had agreed, despite his daughter's assurance that she could ride the horse perfectly well. So Lora took advantage of Hermione working for her, enjoyed bossing Hermione around. Like right now.

Hermione finished cooling out the stallion, loath to end what might be her last ride on him, as Lora's father had put him up for sale. So for all Hermione knew, these were her last days with her precious stallion.

"Looks like he needs a bath, but I have a hair appointment," said Lora.

"I'll do it," said Hermione eagerly.

"Be sure to condition his mane and tail," said the evil bit—girl, smirking. With that she left, Hermione breathing a sigh of relief.

"Didn't think you could be taken advantage of," drawled a familiar voice. "I'll have to ask her how she does it."

_Not here, _thought Hermione. _He can't be here. This is the only place I'm free of him. NOT HERE._ She glanced over her shoulder. Yep. She screwed her eyes shut, hoping that if she looked again, he wouldn't be there. She peeked. Damn, he was still there.

"I'm not going to disappear," he said, as if reading her thoughts.

"Draco Malfoy, what the hell are you doing _here_?"

"I live to stalk you." Hermione glared. "But really, I'm looking to buy a new addition to the Malfoy stables."

"You ride. Horses." Said Hermione disbelievingly.

"Yes," he smirked.

"I'm cursed." Without another word to him, she bathed Com and stalled him. As she was the last one left in the stables, she knew it was her job to grain the horses, as someone had already given them hay.

"What are you doing?" asked Malfoy as he followed her into the grain room. She placed the buckets of grain on a wagon and pulled it down the aisle.

"What does it look like? And what are you still doing here?"

"Annoying you," he smirked.

"Go to hell, you damn snake."

Hermione opened a stall door and emptied a bucket of grain into the feed dish of a testy Lusitano gelding. He snapped at her, and she pulled her hand back just in time. Hermione lowered her head and walked menacingly towards him, making him back up, as if she were the lead horse. Draco watched with disguised interest as the horse bowed his head and backed up.

A few stalls later, Hermione was ready to kill Draco. She turned around to yell at him, but stopped, mouth hanging open. He was gently stroking the face of a beautiful Oldenburg mare, whispering to her. He dropped his hand when he saw her watching.

"Is she for sale?" he asked.

"No; she's pregnant." He knew how to pick a good horse, though. The mare's owner had imported her from Germany a few years back; she was trained to Pre Saint George in dressage. Hermione had ridden her a few times.

In the next stall, Hermione told Malfoy bluntly to stay out of the stall. The horse was a Thoroughbred stallion, and mean to the bone. Of course, Malfoy being Malfoy, he didn't listen. The horse lunged, teeth bared to bite Malfoy, who yanked his arms back quickly. He was hard-pressed to keep from exposing the Dark Mark on his arm.

Hermione was thoroughly fed up by the time they came to the last stall, Dot Com's. Hermione fed the horse, then ran her hands over his back and sides.

"He for sale?" Malfoy's question struck a sore spot with Hermione, who would give an arm and a leg to own the horse.

"No," she gritted.

"Liar."

"You are such an arrogant, slimy, disgusting, obnoxious, BASTARD."

"Ooh, little Mudblood not want me to buy her horsey?"

"Ooh, little slick ass ferret wanna buy a muggle's horsey?"

"Mudblood," he said, leaving. He stopped to get Lora's number off Dot Com's stall card, to torture Hermione, mostly.

"Slick ass ferret."

Hermione sat at dinner a couple months later, moving food around on her plate, not really eating. She had gone to the barn earlier, and Com's stall was empty and devoid of shavings. He was really gone. And tomorrow she left for her seventh year of Hogwarts. As Head Girl, of course.

Draco sat in his black room, wearing black robes, looking at the black sky through his window. _Why me? _He thought. _Why this assignment? Bring Granger to him? How did I get to be like this in the first place? I know, it's partially my fault, but they let me. I became a Death Eater of my own accord, but I was a mere boy. Only fourteen, blinded by power. It was what my father wanted, so I thought it was what I wanted. How could I have been so stupid? Now I am heir to the Dark Lord. How could this happen to me? I was power hungry, fooled by the lies. It was written long ago that the dragon would take the place of the snake; the Prince of Darkness would end the final war. But now I know, and it's too late. The Dark Lord will die. And then I'll rule in his place. Welcome to hell, Dracy-boy. _

"Hermione?" called two voices. Hermione whipped around to see two tall, built boys looking for her, not seeing her. The raven-haired boy was about 6'2", and the redhead was around 6'5". They were Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, her best friends of all time.

Hermione ran over to them. She jumped at Harry, throwing her arms around his neck, but being careful because she was in a skirt, and he was about ten inches taller than she, so she wasn't touching the ground.

"I missed you guys so much!" she squealed.

"Hermione, is that you?" asked Ron in a very shocked voice.

"Uh huh," said Hermione, giggling as she let go of Harry and dropped to the ground to hug Ron.

"Wow," said Harry, looking Hermione up and down. "Just—wow!"

Okay, yes, cliché, but Hermione got a new look over the summer, her treat to herself for making Head Girl. She still didn't know who Head Boy was. Anyway, her hair was in soft curls to her shoulders, with highlights to accent her honey colored eyes. To her surprise, the summer had given her womanly curves, but she was still slim. She was wearing light makeup, a short jeans skirt, and a red halter. She was quite unrecognizable, actually.

They found a compartment with Ginny, Seamus (who was going out with Ginny), and Luna (who was going out with Ron). Hermione counted five wolf whistles and three numbers being slipped into her back pockets. If someone got too friendly, Harry and Ron would crack their knuckles menacingly, and the boor bloke would run off.

Walking between Harry and Ron always made Hermione feel more secure, and with good reason. I mean, what short girl wouldn't feel comforted by two tall, muscular guys who happen to be your best friends walking on either side of you? I know I would! Anyway, it may seem like they were her hired body guards, but it made them feel more comfortable being able to keep an eye on Hermione. Especially with her new look.

She felt someone's breath on her ear, and that someone whispered "Hey honey, haven't seen you around before. What's you're name?" At this point, Harry and Ron had seen the guy, and had whirled around to beat him to a bloody pulp, but were to shocked to move. Hermione just laughed.

Malfoy looked confused. "What? Did you two idiots find someone worth following around? I mean, this hott chick—oh fuck!" He paled as he realized he was looking at the one and only Hermione Granger.

And Hermione paled as she realized that pinned to Malfoy's Hogwarts robes was a Head Boy badge.

Malfoy sat in a compartment with his cronies, thinking. Crabbe and Goyle sat on either side of him, Pansy stared at him, and Blaise was considering the easiest way to sneak out, though no one knew what she was considering, obviously. (A/N: I'm confused. The fabulous, awe-inspiring, worship-worthy, JK Rowling never gave Blaise a gender, so I'm making Blaise a girl, as I've read fanfics where Blaise is male and ones where Blaise is female, so, whatever…)

"Hey Draco, what's the matta?" asked Blaise, realizing Malfoy wasn't ranting about one thing or another. Blaise would be the only one who noticed Malfoy wasn't being Malfoy, as she was the only other one sitting in the room who had a brain.

"Nothing," he said, glancing up as she pushed a lock of straight, raven's wing black hair out of her face.

"Liar," she told him, electric blue eyes piercing his stormy gray ones. "Really, what is it?"

"Nothing!" he yelled, angry that she knew him so well. They had been best friends since they were five. She raised a defined eyebrow.

"That's good Draco, lose your temper. That'll really help whatever you're doing with Granger," she muttered quietly. You'd only hear it if you were paying serious attention. Unfortunately, Draco was paying serious attention.

"WHAT?" _I don't like Granger**! I mean, she's hott**—no she's not! You sick bastard! **But she is**! Is not! **You know she is**. Okay, so she's hott. But I don't want her! ** LIAR! **_

Blaise had been watching him, amused, as the Prince of Slytherins argued internally with himself about a muggle-born. She watched his eyes shift back and forth between the two ideas. He was her best friend; he always had been.

The three of the five teenagers suddenly hissed in pain and grabbed their right forearms. Crabbe and Goyle felt the same pain, but were too stupid to recognize it.

"D-do you think he w-wants to see us?" Pansy squeaked, frightened.

"No," gritted Malfoy, as he felt it worst of all. "He's angry, though."

Blaise just looked at the floor. The Dark Lord was being set up. For her. It was tonight or never.

"Blaise, you okay?" asked Malfoy. "You look like you're going to be sick."

"I think I am," she said, running out of the compartment. Malfoy looked after her, confused.

Hermione looked up to see the black-haired Slytherin run past the compartment, looking paler than normal. Hermione knew why. She had created the plan. She and Blaise were going to pull it off together. They had to.

Dumbledore stood after the first years were all seated at their respective tables. Normally, he would make his speech after the feast, but he knew there wouldn't be time for all to hear later.

"Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts," he said, then waited for the cheers to die out. "You have come to a place where anything is possible. Your dreams, your thoughts, your imaginations, are the limit. Some of you will get by in Hogwarts using your intelligence," he looked at Hermione. "Some will get by on their looks," he looked at a group of very popular Hufflepuffs. "And some will surprise others with who they are," he looked at Harry, then Blaise, then Malfoy. "With that, I'd like you to introduce your Head Girl and Boy for this coming year. Hermione Granger," she stood, and he waited for the applause, and shouting, and cat-calls to end. Only they didn't. A good amount of girls were glaring evilly at their boyfriends. He waited. And waited. "All right, all right, settle down now," he said good-naturedly. "SETTLE DOWN!" utter silence. "And your Head Boy, Draco Malfoy." Draco stood to cheers from the Slytherins, boo's from the Gryffies, and glares from all the guys everywhere whose girlfriends were swooning. And there were a lot of them. A LOT of them. I mean, like 99 of Hogwarts's female population. Including the new teacher.

"I'd now like to introduce Ms. Anna Orlyrox, our new caretaker." There was lots of applause as the attractive woman stood. She looked to be in her thirties, but somehow seemed ageless. Hermione studied the woman with raven black hair and piercing hazel eyes. Hermione had only seen that sort of look in one other person, but she couldn't place who.

"And it's my pleasure to inform you," continued Dumbledore. "That Mr. Remus Lupin has returned as your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." There were tons of cheers, and deafening roars from the Gryffies as Remus stood and nodded to everyone.

_THAT'S IT! _ thought Hermione. _Oh my god, she's a werewolf! I wonder how long it will take her to get together with professor Lupin…_

"Now, I leave you to your meal," said Dumbledore.

After a few minutes of the feast, Blaise glanced at her watch. It was time. She could feel it now. Her wand was warm in the pocket of her robes, ready to be used. Her hands were steady, even if her breathing was uneven. A feeling like cool rain washed over her. It was her time, she knew it.

She shakily stood and caught Dumbledore's eye. She nodded, and he bowed his head slightly. He knew as well as she did. Then she caught Hermione's eye. They both nodded. Hermione knew. Harry knew it too. For him it was a gut feeling. He looked from Blaise, to Hermione, to Dumbledore, and back again. Blaise walked through the doors at the front of the Great Hall, Hermione and Harry discreetly following.

"Er, Blaise," he called. The girl turned.

"What's the Gryffindork prince doing following me?" asked Blaise innocently.

Harry rolled his eyes. "I know as well as you do what you two're about to do. I don't know why, but you have to be the one to do it, I can feel it, too. Here, take this." He held his wand out to Blaise. The brother wand to Voldemort's own.

"Harry…"

"The only wand capable of challenging Voldemort's is related in some way to it, Blaise. You know that. Hermione knows that. Dumbledore knows that. I know that."

"But what about Hermione?" she asked, not reaching for the wand.

"You see, Fawkes the Phoenix only gave two tail feathers," said Hermione, grinning evilly. "And a wing feather. I learned a few years ago that my wand is also kin to Voldemort's, a sister wand, as I like to think."

"Take it Blaise, it's your only choice," said Harry.

Blaise took the wand. It felt ice-hot in her grip. Power surged up her arm. She looked at Harry with wonder. How could he stand such a rush of power all the time? She had held Hermione's wand before, and it was the same. Gryffindors, go figure.

"Thank you," she said. She took off a necklace. Hermione held the charm attached to it while she held the chain.

"Bye Harry," said Hermione. The two girls were… uh… portkeyed away, I guess.

Hermione looked at Blaise's confident yet pale face when they landed. They had to be successful. Hermione pulled on the invisibility cloak and followed closely behind Blaise, who knew her way around. They came to a large room with torches on the walls. A great hearth held a roaring fire.

"My lord?" said Blaise.

Voldemort turned his chair around. Blaise held back a wince at the sight of the being who caused her so much pain.

"Zabini." She could hear him wheezing. He had been even weaker since he let the Death Eaters kill Pettigrew, as he no longer had a caretaker. For a second, she almost regretted what she had to do to him. Almost.

"My lord, I've brought a witch who wishes to become a Death Eater. She's very powerful, and obedient. But there is a problem."

"Which is?"

"I'm a mudblood," said Hermione, throwing off the cloak. Of one mind, before Voldemort could move, the two girls had screamed **_"AVADA KEDAVRA!" _**The shock evident on his warped face, the Dark Lord fell in what seemed slow motion to the feet of the pureblood and the mudblood. They stared disbelievingly at the still and dead form of Voldemort and grabbed the necklace again, as it was a double-portkey. As the room filled with nearby Death Eaters, the girls were again… portkeyed away.

Draco screamed in pain. The Dark Mark seared his skin like a brand. He fell to the floor, writhing. It had never been like this before. It was a thousand times worse than when it had been burned there. Fortunately, he was in his common room. People were on the floor, screaming, all around him, while a few looked at them like they were mad. He pushed back his sleeve, and his eyes widened. The black snake and skull were warping into a blood red dragon head.

And the pain ended. "The Dark Lord is dead," said one shaken boy.

(A/N: Okay, so let's catch up. Blaise and Hermione couldn't really disappear for as long as it would take to kill Voldemort, get back to Hogwarts, and go through the hours of questioning that would follow their murder of Voldemort. So they're using a time turner to get back only a few minutes after they left.)

"Who's the new Dark Lord?" asked another boy.

"Malfoy," said someone.

"The Dark Lord," someone breathed. Soon most of the common room was kneeling at Malfoy's feet. He could now see Blaise, leaning against the portrait, tears running down her face.

"Kneel before the Dark Lord," commanded someone. Blaise walked over to Malfoy, kneeling at his feet. She looked up at him. His eyes were full of pain, worry, anger, betrayal, and fear. She had done this to him. Her best friend.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, the tears falling faster. She knew what would happen. As the new Dark Lord, Draco would be killed. "So, so sorry."


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: You see, the wonderful, creative, genius, and multi-talented JK played Lily in the HP movies. Which makes Harry Potter her son (which he kinda is, cause she created him…). And do I look like Daniel Radcliffe's mother? I don't think so.

The next morning at breakfast, Dumbledore stood, asking for a word with the Heads. Hermione was still trying to wake herself up, and turned a glass of orange juice into coffee as she walked over to where Dumbledore was standing.

"Yes (she yawned) Professor?"

"Well, as I'm sure you two heard, the Heads share a common room and—"

Hermione sprayed a mouthful of hot coffee all over Malfoy, who happened to be standing in front of her. He then proceeded to run around in little circles, jumping up and down as the liquid scalded him. He finally removed it with his wand.

"Are you drinking _coffee_, Granger?" asked Malfoy.

"Yeah, I have been since I was thirteen, you got a problem with it?" The fact that Hermione was bloody tired was making her rather blunt.

"YES, I have a bloody problem with it! Because you just bloody sprayed it all over my bloody body!"

"You don't look bloody to me."

"Now," continued Dumbledore. "As I was saying, you'll be sharing a common room as well as a bathroom—"

Hermione sprayed another mouthful of coffee. Fortunately, Malfoy did this cool, slow motion looking thingy where he jumped to the side and rolled.

"Impressive," said Hermione.

Malfoy glared evilly.

"Your rooms will be located same as the dorm rooms in your respective houses," continued Dumbledore as if nothing was happening. "Now follow me."

A few floors higher, they stopped in front of a painting of a Dragon and a Lioness.

"Not a snake and a lioness?" asked Hermione with some sarcasm.

"Well, this painting changes on it's own every year to suit the occupants living behind it, so talk to _them_ about it," said Dumbledore, jerking his head at the two.

The Lioness and the Dragon were as far away from each other as the frame would allow. "Here I leave you. You two are excused from first day of classes to… get situated." Hermione knew Dumbledore wanted her to have a day off after last night. He had probably excused Blaise as well.

"Thanks Headmaster," Hermione called at the old man's retreating back. He turned and smiled, then continued on down the hall.

She turned to the portrait, and found that Malfoy was conversing quickly and quietly with the Dragon.

"Hi," began Hermione awkwardly.

"Oh, I do love meeting Gryffies," said the Lioness in a calm, soothing, sweet voice. "I'm Onna. Let's see, so you're Hermione Granger? If I don't miss my guess, you've been first in your class since your first year here?" Hermione nodded. "And you being a muggleborn at that."

"So, how did you get stuck in a portrait with scaly over there?" asked Hermione, gesturing towards the Dragon.

The Lioness laughed. "Same way you got stuck living with ferret boy." Hermione decided not to ask the painting how she knew so much. "So, I think you should pick a password before the ferret does." Hermione nodded, then leaned forward and whispered something in Onna's ear. The Lioness gave a sort of grin.

"You know, I think this could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship," said Onna. Hermione smiled.

"Alright, I'm exhausted, so I'm going to go rest. Good day, Onna," said Hermione politely, stepping through the portrait. Malfoy tried to follow, but the portrait slammed shut.

"WHAT THE HELL!" she heard him bellow. Then Hermione heard Onna's response of "Well, you didn't say the password."

"DAMMIT GRANGER, OPEN UP! YOU DIDN'T GIVE ME THE PASSWORD!" Hermione could hear the Dragon hissing and Onna's odd laugh.

"NO, I DIDN'T," she called. She listened to his vivid cursing. "Would you like me to tell you what it is?"

"DUH!"

"Then ask me."

"What's the password, Granger?"

"Now, now, Malfoy. Ask politely. Which means, you have to use FIRST names." She grinned when she heard him swear.

"What's the password…_Hermione?_"

"Hermione's a sexy goddess."

"_WHAT THE BLOODY HELL!_ I'm not saying that!"

"Then you can stay out there forever."

While Malfoy stood outside, Hermione inspected their new quarters. Everything was a compromise between scarlet, gold, green, and silver, and looked lovely. The rugs on the hardwood floor were scarlet and silver, while the chairs and couched were green and gold. There were two desks, a bookshelf, and a number of cabinets.

Hermione opened a green and gold door to find the bathroom. Everything in it was white marble. There was the customary pool-sized bathtub, two showers, sinks, etc.

Behind the scarlet door with gold trimmings, Hermione found her room. It was perfect. The bookcase, dresser, bed frame, and other furnishings were cherry wood. The walls were deep yellow, with maroon trimmings. The feather comforter on the bed was gold, with scarlet silk sheets. Hermione sighed contentedly and fell onto her bed, causing Crookshanks to growl at her, seeing as she almost landed on top of him.

"Honestly," she told him. "One would think you would've learned not to lay there any more."

The noises outside her door told her Malfoy was in the common room. She grinned evilly. She felt so empowered, controlling Malfoy like that.

Blaise stood outside the portrait, glaring at her best friend.

"What's the password, Draco?" she asked for like the thirtieth time.

"I'm not going to say it; it's too disturbing! Why do you want to get inside, anyway?" he asked suspiciously.

Blaise rolled her eyes. "Because I've got nothing better to do."

"I refuse to say it." With that, he turned on his heel and walked away.

Blaise made an exasperated noise. "Some people I know have gotten awful arrogant since they became the Heir," she muttered.

"Are you a Slytherin, dear?" asked the Lioness in the portrait.

"Uh, well, yes, actually," said Blaise.

"Well, Blaise, seeing as you're Hermione's friend, I'll give you the password just this once." Blaise was about to ask the all-knowing Lioness how she knew her name and that she was Hermione's friend, when the Lioness continued. "The password is 'Hermione's a sexy goddess.'"

Blaise laughed. "That's Hermione for you," she told the Lioness appreciatively. "Thanks…"

"Onna."

"Well, thanks Onna. We should talk sometime. Hermione's a sexy goddess."

The portrait opened, and Blaise was about to step through it when she heard a voice.

"Wow, didn't know you swung that way," said the amused male voice.

Blaise turned. "Very funny Harry. Hermione made that the password 'cause she knew it'd kill Draco to say it."

Harry laughed as well. "Yep, that's Hermione. Oh, hey Onna! I didn't know you were getting assigned here."

"Neither did I. Or I wouldn't have agreed to it," said the Lioness, looking disdainfully at the Dragon, who hissed in response. "But there are reasons."

"How do you two… never mind. Do the reasons have to do with a certain prophecy?" asked Blaise. Onna winked. Harry shook his head.

"No more prophecies," he moaned. Blaise raised a questioning eyebrow, but he shook his head. Onna nodded knowingly.

"Shall we? Good day Onna," said Blaise.

"Talk to you later, Onna. Oh, Hermione's a sexy goddess."

The two proceeded into the chambers to talk with Hermione.

A beam of sunlight woke Hermione from a dream of riding Dot Com. She smiled happily, then stretched. All of a sudden, the brown-haired girl sat bolt upright. She was late. _Crap, crap, crap!_ She pulled on a random robe and shoved on her witch's hat, then grabbed her bag and raced out the door. She glanced at her watch. She had _about_ forty-seven seconds to get to Charms. Hermione ran faster than anyone had ever seen a human being run. She slid into the classroom as the bell rang (do they have bells?). She scanned the room. The only seat left was next to Malfoy. _Figures,_ she thought. Ron was sitting with Seamus and Harry was sitting with Blaise. _Score one for Harry._ She winked at him, and he turned a startling shade of pink.

"Miss Granger, please have a seat," squeaked professor Flitwick.

"Yes, Professor," Hermione gritted. She thumped down next to Malfoy.

"Today, we will be starting a partner project. Your partner will be the person in the seat next to you."

"Figures," muttered Malfoy.

"Great," hissed Hermione under her breath.

Flitwick glared and continued. "I want each of you to find an ancient, and very advanced charm that was used in a region I assign you. You will be expected to give an oral report and exhibition of the charm. Weasley-Finnogan, Siberia. Potter-Zabini, Australia, Malfoy-Granger, America… (A/N: don't feel like making up more names b/c I've been eating cake and sucking helium out of balloons, if that explains anything…  IT'S MY B-DAY!)

"What's America?" asked Malfoy.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Why me?"

Malfoy would have liked to tell her to stop acting like her life was hell, because she didn't know hell. But Granger was nosy, and would want to know how he knew hell. That was something he didn't feel like explaining to the Mudblood. Besides, he knew very well what America was, it was just fun tormenting her. _When she's angry or frustrated she looks so… I don't know, almost hott? **Oh, you know she's hott**. Shut up. **Don't tell me to shut up**. I'll tell you to shut up if I want to! **Oh yeah? Well… yeah?** You're such an idiot. **Am not**. Are too. **Am not.** Oh go snog Granger. **Bastard.** Bitch. **I'm going to punch you.** You can't punch me with out punching yourself. **Wait, which one am I again? **_

"Let's meet in the library, six o'clock," she said commandingly.

"Whatever." later in library

"So what spell are you doing?" asked Malfoy lazily.

"We."

"What?"

"We. Not me. We."

"Bitch."

"Bastard."

"Mudblood."

"Pureblood."

"Gryffindor."

"Slytherin."

"Slut."

"Slick ass ferret."

"…"

"What?"

"What's with the whole slick ass ferret thing?"

"What's with the whole mudblood thing?" she retorted in the same tone.

He smirked. "It annoys you."

"No, what annoys me is that damn SMIRK!"

"I knew I did _something_ to annoy you."

"Malfoy, your very existence annoys me." He opened his mouth to say something. "Sod off." He looked taken aback. "Don't talk to me unless it's an emergency, or it has to do with the project, she said, opening a book.

Of course, Malfoy just smirked, as if his smirk counted for an entire speech. Hermione tried to ignore him, she truly did, but when someone is just staring at you with a smirk on their face, you eventually have to tell them off.

"Stop smirking at me before I rack you," she said, not even looking up from her book. Malfoy, not used to being threatened, was confused.

"What's that?"

"What's what?"

"What do you mean you'll rack me?"

"Stand up." He did. Hermione glided over to him and looked up into his face. For a second, he thought she might kiss him. Instead, she sharply and quickly brought up her knee. It connected with a place no guy ever wants to be kicked in. Malfoy's face paled, and he sank to the floor with and inaudible whine. "And that is what it means to rack someone." She returned to her book. A few minutes later, Malfoy pulled himself off the ground and found a cushion to sit on.

"Bloody… bitch," he panted.

"You asked."

"For… a… definition… not an… exhibition!"

"You never clarified that. Okay, I like this spell. It's one Native Americans used to gentle wild horses."

"Yeah, right. How… are we gonna… show that?"

"You're so stupid."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

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"Am not."

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"Am not."

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"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"This could go on forever."

"Haha, I win!"

"You are such a three year old."

"Am not!"

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Alright, I'm leaving."

"How are you going to do your project, then?"

"I'm going to ask Flitwick for a new partner."

"You know, maybe you're not as stupid as you seem."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Obviously you are," she muttered, throwing her bag over her shoulder to leave.

"What was that?" he said, grabbing her arm.

"Would you like me to rack you again?" she retorted, raising an eyebrow.

"Mudblood."

"Slick ass ferret."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I wasn't JK before, and I'm not JK now! Stop reopening this damn wound!

"Professor Flitwick?" asked Hermione politely. The short old wizard nodded, not looking up from his book. "May I ask for a different partner?"

"To quote a very wise author, "You may ask, but you will not receive." (A/N: um, if no one actually, said that, I guess I'm calling myself a very wise author… And one day I will be! You'll see, when books are published and read by millions of kids, and the author is SM Grimes, you'll know! Muahahahahahahahahahahahaha!)

"But professor!" whined Hermione.

"Really, professor," drawled Malfoy. "If she's willing to act like a two year old, might as well give it to her.

Hermione rounded on him. "You wanna know what else annoys the hell out of me? THAT DAMN DRAWL!" She saw Malfoy's eyes flicker over her shoulder, where professor Flitwick was standing on his books, looking quite shocked that his favorite student had just screamed a curse in his classroom. Hermione cringed when she realized what Malfoy was smirking at. He heard her mutter, "Fcking lizard."

"Damn mudblood," he retorted.

"Slick ass ferret."

"Bush Head."

"Bastard Slytherin."

"Bitch Gryffindor."

"Didn't we establish that last night?"

"Yeah, just making sure you didn't forget it." Professor Flitwick looks REALLY upset by now

"I swear, one more word and I'll—"

"You'll what? Curse me with purple hair?"

"It is ON!" screamed Hermione. And instead of pulling out her wand, Hermione lunged for Malfoy, knocking him to the ground. Once there, a wrestling/ruleless boxing match occurred. Students clustered around the pair in a tight ring, shouting the oh-so-cliché 'Fight, fight, fight'.

Hermione by this time had a split lip and a fist-sized red mark on her stomach that was going to turn into a bruise eventually. Because Hermione had the element of surprise, Malfoy had a bloody nose, a black eye, and two split lips.

Hermione furled her leg up and shot it out, kicking Malfoy in the muscle right above his knee, making him double over in pain. He lunged for her, his heavier and longer frame effectively pinning her to the ground. (Flitwick is attempting to fight his way through the crowd) Malfoy gave her a black eye, then just laid on her, keeping her immobile. Hermione fought like a wildcat, attempting to further damage Malfoy.

Finally, Flitwick fought his way through and separated the two.

"PROFESSOR DUMBLEDORE'S OFFICE! NOW!" He bellowed. Well, it was a bellow for someone his size, anyway. With that, he marched the two down the hallway to the Headmaster's office, waves of chatter breaking out behind them.

"You're so dead if I ever find you alone," hissed Hermione.

"You're not one to talk."

"I _am _the best witch in this school," she said smugly.

"And I'm the best wizard."

"Yes, but you're still second to me in grades."

"Who gives a damn about grades!"

"The grades prove what I already know: I'm better than you."

"You wish."

"Don't you just LOVE how wishes come true?"

"Mudblood."

"Slick ass ferret."

They had reached Dumbledore's eagle thingy. "White ferrets," squeaked Flitwick. Malfoy's jaw dropped, and Hermione giggled. In fact, she was still giggling when they got to Dumbledore's office. Then she quickly shut up, remembering that she was in trouble.

"Ah, Professor Flitwick! Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger, lovely to see my two best students for no apparent reason!" Hermione and Malfoy traded looks.

"I wish," said Flitwick. "These two started physically brawling in my classroom! As if they were muggles!"

"I'll take it from here," said Dumbledore calmly. Flitwick strode out of the office muttering to his imaginary friends. "So, is this true?"

"Duh," said Malfoy, lounging back in a chair.

"Yes Headmaster," said Hermione softly, hanging her head in embarrassment.

"And why were you brawling?"

"BECAUSE WE HATE EACHOTHER!" they screamed at the same time. Okay, well, Hermione screamed, Malfoy bellowed.

"Why?"

"Because, Headmaster, he's never given Ron, Harry, and I anything but grief. He's a total ass, sorry professor, and he thinks he's a better wizard than I am a witch!"

"And she's a complete and total smart-ass bitch who thinks she knows everything! She, Weasel, and Potter are on their high horses constantly. I'm the only one with enough nerve to bring them down."

"More like stupidity," Hermione muttered. Malfoy ignored her.

Dumbledore was… kinda… angry by now. "You two have anger issues with each other that I want sorted out! You are school prefects, and are supposed to be setting examples of relationships between the Houses, NOT examples of feuds! You both have detention with Hagrid for the next week. And if I hear any more about this fighting, you will both be relieved of your badges. Permanently."

Hermione gaped. Of course she'd had detentions before, she _was_ part of the marauders of her time. But detention with _Malfoy?_ Just the thought made her want to twitch.

Malfoy was gaping as well. He wanted to kill something right then. Something small and furry/bushy. Hermione would do very well…


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Yeah, I own nothing. Not the characters, not the setting, not the concept of magic, not even this damn computer that keeps screwing up. OH, OH OH OH! I do own something! I own the Moonlight Flibbergibbets! As far as I know…

Detention time! Yay! Or not, considering if you were the student serving the detention, or some bystander watching the said student walking up to Hagrid's hut. Can you say dead student walking? Reader: Dead student walking

Hermione and Malfoy arrived at Hagrid's at precisely the same time from precisely opposite directions. Because they're special like that.

Hagrid beamed down at the two. "Good. You're bo'f here. Now, tonigh', we're goin' to be collectin' Moonligh' Flibbergibbets."

Malfoy and Hermione traded looks. "Professor, what's a Flibbergibbet?"

"_Moonligh' _Flibbergibbet. I'm surprised you didn' know, Hermione! A Moonligh' Flibbergibbet is a sma' spiny creature… abou' the size of your fist. Not Malfoy's or mine, 'cause you've got such small hands. It's brown, with brigh' blue eyes. You'll be able t' see them in tha dark. It's spines are full of venom tha's used in lo's of potions. Be carefu' though, you're in trouble if you're stung. And they breathe fire."

"_Great,_" said Malfoy sarcastically. "Then how are we supposed to catch them?"

"Tha's part of you're detention!" said Hagrid. "I'm sure the two smar'est studen's of the school can figure ou' how to catch _Moonligh' Flibbergibbets_!" with that he left. No if's and's or but's.

"I'm going to kill you Malfoy. Slowly and painfully. Maybe I'll put a Moonlight Flibbergibbet in your bed," she mused.

"Okay, might as well get started. First we need something to hold them. But what?"

"Like I said, I'm better than you," said Hermione, holding up a jar that she had already transfigured from an old nutshell. Malfoy rolled his eyes.

"Where do we look?"

"How should I know? Now, shall we enter the forest?" she said, staring at him evilly for a long moment.

"What?" he asked finally, as she was looking at him piercingly.

"As I remember, last time you were in the forest, you… sort of lost it," she said giggling. "We could hear you screaming all the way in the castle."

"I was a mere boy," drawled Malfoy, annoyed. With that, he strutted straight into the heart of the forest. Hermione followed close behind.

After a few minutes, they couldn't see the moon anymore. The hairs on the back of Hermione's neck prickled. "Lumos," she whispered.

"Put that out."

"Why?"

"So much for being the brightest witch in the school. Hagrid said you can see their eyes in the dark. So put the light out."

"Nox. But now we can't see where we're going," she complained. "Shit!" she ran into a wall. A wall? What the hell?

"What now?" asked Malfoy from somewhere ahead of her and to the right.

"I just ran into a freaking wall!"

"There are no walls in the middle of the forest."

"Then how did I just run into one? I can't see where you are. Come back here."

With an audible sight, Malfoy walked back to where he could hear Hermione. And ran into a wall. "Dammit!"

"You just ran into a wall, didn't you?" asked Hermione, giggling.

"Shut up mudblood."

"Just pointing out the facts, my little slick ass ferret."

"Since when did I become _your _little slick ass ferret?"

"When I started calling you little slick ass ferret. Lumos," she lit her wand again. It shone on an old cabin. In the middle of the Forbidden Forest. Strange.

Malfoy also lit his wand, and was inspecting the cabin. Something howled in the forest. Hermione gave a little yelp, then shuddered. It sounded like a wolf. It howled again. Closer.

"Oh fck!" said Hermione. "Do you know what tonight is?"

"The first of a very long week of detentions?"

"The full moon!" Malfoy's eyes widened, and they both flinched at the sound of the wolf, now presumed werewolf, as it announced with another howl that it scented prey.

The two sixteen-year-olds rushed into the cabin, bolting the door behind them. Malfoy lit the fire, as well as the candles placed here and there. Hermione inspected the cabin.

"I can't believe this," she said at last, sitting down on the couch.

"What?" asked Malfoy, doing his own inspection. "That we're stuck together because our teachers can't remember that it's a full moon?"

"No! That our teachers set us up so we'd be stuck together because it's a full moon!" Malfoy looked confused. "Don't you get it? There's no such thing as a Moonlight Flibbergibbet, or I would have read something about them. And didn't you notice that there isn't any dust in our conveniently abandoned cabin? And that we didn't hear the 'werewolf' until we GOT to the cabin? Don't you think it's funny that the appearance on the inside of this place is new, while the outside is old?"

"Damn, I CAN'T believe we got stuck with this!" yelled Malfoy.

"I betcha that isn't even a real werewolf out there," said Hermione. "I'm leaving."

"Right behind you."

Hermione grabbed the door handle and tried to open it. It wouldn't budge. She grabbed it with both hands and started jumping up and down. Malfoy just sat there and laughed.

"Looks like a job for a man," he said.

"Good, where are we going to find one?" asked Hermione.

Malfoy glared. "Move." And Hermione moved. He gripped the handle and tried to twist it. Nothing. He tried with both hands. Finally, he pulled out his wand. "Alohamora!" nothing. "I can't believe this."

Hermione was rummaging through the cabinets, and finding all sorts of things. "Oh look," she said dryly. "I conveniently found some floo powder, but not enough to transport us into Hogwarts. She tossed a pinch in the fire and stuck her head in. "HEADMASTER!" she screamed. She looked over and saw Malfoy's head beside hers.

"Ah, Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy, what a pleasure," said Dumbledore with twinkling eyes.

"PLEASE let us out!" pleaded Malfoy. "We haven't been in here but five minutes, and I'm already losing it!"

"I'll let you out when you resolve your differences," said Dumbledore, walking away and laughing maniacally.

The two pulled their heads back into the cabin. Malfoy looked at Hermione.

"Do you think he meant it?"

"Well," said Hermione. "I don't think he can keep us in here the rest of our lives, so, no."

"Good."

Hermione and Draco never did get out of that cabin. They refused to solve their differences, and thus died years later, all alone, still screaming at each other. Okay, joking, back to the story.

Anyway, so I'm not going to kill my main characters, now am I? I didn't think so. Stop looking at me like that. I'm sorry! STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT! Oh, not the puppy dog eyes! Quit it! Do you want to read this story or not?

"Oh. My. God," said Hermione.

"What?"

"There. Is. Only. One. Bed," she shuddered.

"No way."

"Yeah, I call it."

"You can't do that, you little mudblood!" yelled Malfoy.

"Well I'm not sleeping on the floor or the couch, you little slick ass ferret!"

"Well neither am I!"

"Oh be the man and sleep on the couch," goaded Hermione.

"Uh, no."

"Ha ha, I knew you were a woman!"

"Gryffindor bitch."

"Slytherin bastard. Now, do we HAVE to go on with the name-calling, or can we leave it at that?"

Malfoy glared. "So, how are we supposed to get by?"

"Well, the cupboards are full of food, and they magically restock, so we don't have to worry about that. And there's a closet full of what looks like clothes that are our size. I also found a bathroom complete with a shower, jacuzzi tub, and everything. So we could technically be here for a while. A long while. Actually, I think we _could_ be here forever."

"Great," said Malfoy dryly. "I don't see how they expect us to sort out our differences in one night, when we've hated each other since we met."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Weren't you paying attention? They don't expect us to sort it all out in one night. That's why there's a bed, a shower, and unlimited food!"

Malfoy cursed. "Did I squish some sacred beetle or something?"

Hermione looked at him quizzically.

"Karma."

"Oh," she said, getting it. "Either that or I did."

"So."

"So."

"What are we going to do to keep from dying of boredom?"

Hermione twitched. "I found some games, but they're all two player."

Malfoy twitched. "So. We'll die from boredom, then?"

"Yes, it seems so. Unless we can get Dumbledore to send us our homework or something."

"Uh, if I'm stuck in a cabin, missing school, the last thing I want to be doing is homework."

"So you'd rather get along with me?" asked Hermione, raising an eyebrow.

"Okay, I take that back. If I get bored enough, I'll asked Dumbledore to send our homework."

"Chances are he won't do it," said Hermione thoughtfully.

"And unfortunately, you're probably right."

"You know, for once in my life, I hate being right."

For a while, they sat without talking. Hermione was thinking about who she was stuck in the cabin with.

_Draco Malfoy. But who is Draco Malfoy? The Slytherin Prince, for one. He's my sworn enemy. Is he? Voldemort was my sworn enemy, but Blaise and I killed him._ She shuddered at the realization.

_But Voldemort is never really gone. He lives on through his death eaters, through Harry's scar, through those he has tortured, those he has murdered. He lives through whoever the new Dark Lord is. And who is that? I'm sure Blaise knows, but she isn't speaking. Which means it's someone close to her. And what of the prophecy? The Dragon will take the place of the Snake; the Prince of Darkness will end the final war. _

_But how will the war end? Does it mean the Dragon will do what Voldemort could not? Overthrow the light? Or does it mean the Dragon will give in to the light? _

_The Dragon. Draco. No. No way. The Slytherin Prince. The Prince of Darkness. Oh. My. God. I'm trapped in a cabin in the middle of the Forbidden Forest during a full moon with the new Dark Lord. The only way this could get worse would be if he were a werewolf. Or a vampire… Oh my god. Malfoy IS the new Dark Lord. _

She looked at Malfoy. He met her eyes. There he saw fire, anger, intense loathing, and beneath it a shadow of fear. He had never known Hermione to fear anything, so this startled him.

_Oh no. I'm stuck in a cabin with her; if she figured it out, I'm DEAD. I'll be killed, murdered, slaughtered, lynched, hanged, destroyed, drawn and quartered, Avada'd, assassinated, massacred, blown off the face of the earth, and overall just dead! But, she IS the smartest witch in our year, probably EVER! There's no reason she wouldn't have figured it out, I mean I AM the Slytherin Prince, which puts me in bad enough a position as it is. I've never been nice to her. I'm sure she knows I was a Death Eater. And on top of that, everyone who doesn't know I'm the Dark Lord thinks I'm the Dark Lord. And if she knows of the prophecy… She couldn't. Could she? _

"Uh, Granger…" 

"Oh. My. God. You. You're the… Oh. My. God. Ohmygod. I would say, 'I can't believe it', but, you know… I can. Oh fck. I'm in a cabin. In the middle of the Forbidden Forest. During the full moon. With the—"

"Don't," said Malfoy. "Why would you think that?" a bead of sweat rolled down his face.

"Oh, please Malfoy. I'm the smartest witch in the school, I thought we already went through this. Besides, there are so many clues, someone with half my intelligence—"

"—Someone normal?" interrupted Malfoy.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Could figure it out. The dragon will take place of the snake. The Prince of Darkness. You're the Slytherin Prince. Blaise won't tell me who it—oh shit." Hermione realized she had not only revealed that she knew of the prophecy, but that she was friends with Blaise.

"What makes you think Blaise knows who the new Dark Lord is?" asked Draco nervously.

Hermione laughed in his face. "Malfoy, Malfoy, Malfoy. You are second in our class, but blind to what happens around you. Don't you see it? A new era is forming. This is _our_ time. The time for the younger witches and wizards. Can't you feel it? A new Dark Lord has come to power. Dumbledore can't live forever. And when someone takes his place? Then what? The old era is dying, Malfoy. Those who are coming to power are those closest to us. It is time to read the signs around you. Now, I know this is hard for you, but think. Have you even pondered who killed Voldemort?"

And Malfoy thought. _What is she talking about? How could she know so much? Unless… no, it's not possible. Oh snap out of it! Read the signs, like Granger said. Who killed Voldemort? Why would Blaise tell Granger who the new Dark Lord is? How does she know of the prophecy? Oh my god. Blaise and Granger killed Voldemort. This is their fault! No. Blaise wouldn't have… But she's been so… odd lately. And the other day in class, Blaise sat with Potter… Why was I so bloody blind? I can't believe it! And who will take over after Dumbledore? No. But of course. Someone with wit and cunning. Someone like Granger. Of course._

"So," he hissed. "What was your reward for the death of Voldemort?" 

Hermione was taken aback at the pure venom in his voice. "Just that the world would be free again. Malfoy, if you turned yourself in—"

"That would be weakness! For some reason, the Dark Lord wanted you to be brought to him, to serve on our side. I see it now. Do you, Granger?"

"What?" asked Hermione, startled.

"What lies in your future."

"No," she whispered. "I live for the now, not the when."

"You truly don't see it? What happens when Dumbledore's gone, Granger? When the leader of the light is extinguished?"

Hermione was slightly scared now. "Well… Harry will take his place, of course."

"No, Granger, you're wrong. It's you. When Dumbledore dies, _you'll_ be left to lead in his place. Have you not heard the rest of the prophecy?" Hermione shook her head, looking down, but keeping one eye on Malfoy. "It's rather interesting, really. **_'When the Snake falls, the Dragon will come to power. The Prince of Darkness will rule over the shade. He will draw the Lioness to him, and of her own free will she will follow. The but the cunning and sly of the Lioness rivals that of the Dragon. Upon him a light she will cast, and the final war will be at an end. _****_The Lioness will beat the Dragon at his own game. She will tame him, and lead him to a point where he must ponder his place. If they should combine, immortal they will be, inseparable they will stand. And forge a link in light and dark, combine."_**

"But that could be anyone—" Hermione argued.

"Think what you will, Granger. I just didn't think Precious Potter seemed much like a lioness to me. Don't you see it? The Lioness. Who is it? A Gryffindor, no doubt. A certain sly, cunning, witty Gryffindor. The leader of the light. Does it not make sense?" by now, his voice was soft and alluring. Hermione couldn't help falling for the famous Malfoy charm. Then she caught herself.

_What the hell! You can't fall for Malfoy! He's an arrogant Slytherin bastard, and the Dark Lord at that! That's just wrong!_

"Look, Malfoy," said Hermione stonily. "I don't know what you're playing at, but you'd bloody better stay away from me. Or you'll find yourself in the next millennium. Got that?"

"Granger, it's inevitable. I don't know why, or how, or when, but it _will_ happen. You can't deny it."

"Deny WHAT, Malfoy!" she asked, angry at being kept in the dark by Dumbledore.

"Were you not listening! '**_He will draw the Lioness to him, and of her own free will she will follow. The but the cunning and sly of the Lioness rivals that of the Dragon. Upon him a light she will cast, and the final war will be at an end. The Great Battle foretold rests with the Lioness and the Dragon, the leaders of each. If they should combine, immortal they will be, inseparable they will stand. And forge a link in light and dark, combine.'_**"

"Malfoy, that means nothing to me. Nothing, okay? Who are we to know who the Lioness is? It could be anyone. Hell, for all we know it's Lavender, or Parvati, or Ginny, or even McGonagall!"

"Except for the fact that the cunning and sly of the Lioness rivals that of the Dragon. I don't know why it's going to happen, Granger, but it is; you know it."

"I will not follow you of my own free will, Malfoy. You're the fcking Dark Lord!"

Malfoy looked down. "In title, yes. In image, yes. But do you think that's who I _am_?" he asked her softly, meeting her honey colored eyes.

Hermione searched his stormy gray eyes, surprised. In his eyes, she found no malice, or anger. There was no betrayal, no hate. She found hurt, fear, and something that only flitted through his eyes, something he quickly hid, so she couldn't identify it.

"I didn't _want_ to be the Dark Lord," he said. "I became a Death Eater when I was a boy, only fourteen, and blinded by power. When Potter had my father sent to Azkaban, and he died, I became the heir. Does anyone realize how awful it is to be the son of a Death Eater? Being the Dark Lord is hell, Granger. It isn't something I'd always dreamed of. It's something that happened because my father was a Death Eater, simple as that. I admire you, envy you."

"Why?" she asked, startled. "You have everything. A rich boy who gets the second best grades in school, flies on the Slytherin Quidditch team, can do practically anything, and do it really well. Why would you envy _me_?"

"Because, Granger, you're free. You can to whatever the bloody hell you want. And you've got guts. I mean, you _killed_ effing Voldemort!"

"I'm not brave, Malfoy," she told him quietly. "I hide behind knowledge and books, I calculate and plan. It isn't my nature to go busting into something as big as, well, you know. I was bloody terrified when I pulled off that invisibility cloak. I mean, what would have happened if he reacted first? He could have _killed_ Blaise and me!"

"There's risk in everything, Granger. Some risks are just greater than others."

"But what about you?" she snapped. "If you hate being the Dark Lord so much, why don't you turn yourself in? They'll only imprison you if you've done murder. _Have you done murder_?"

He gave her a look. "No, I've not done murder. Voldemort only sent wizards and witches out of school on killing sprees. For some reason that made sense to him. And I never sent any of the Death Eaters to kill anyone, either. I can't turn myself in, though. Don't you understand? _I am the Dark Lord_. They'd probably kill me on spot."

"Do you want to be the Dark Lord?"

"We already went through this. NO."

Hermione looked thoughtful. "So offer them the names of all guilty Death Eaters to the Ministry, but keep the innocents to yourself. Do it under Truth Serum, so they can be positive you're not lying. Give all the names in exchange for clemency. Also under Truth Serum, tell them that you never sent your Death Eaters to do murder, and you, yourself, never committed murder. The sooner you do this, the better."

Malfoy thought for a moment. "That might work. Oh my god, I could kiss you right now!"

Hermione looked slightly startled, and ALMOST hopeful. Almost. I mean like **_ALMOST_**. "So you'll do it?"

He looked at her. Then Malfoy paused, and studied her. He didn't detect so much as a trace of trickery. She was being honest. She didn't want him to be the Dark Lord (duh), and she was giving him a way out of it. "Yes," he told her.

They sat for a while, and Hermione finally asked, "Why are you so cruel?"

The question didn't surprise Malfoy. "Because I have to be," he said simply.

"But you aren't, really. Not away from your friends and such. It's just a show for the Death Eaters, then?"

_Curse her brains, curse her brains, CURSE HER BRAINS._ "Yeah, basically. I mean, I'm really _not_ as bad as I make out to be. But, you know, when my father was alive, he'd use the Crucaitus curse on me if I didn't act exactly as I was supposed to, or if I befriended the wrong people." Hermione gasped. "So it just became sort of a habit."

"Oh, Malfoy."

He shrugged. "I lived with it for fifteen years, but I don't have to anymore, it's fine."

Hermione looked around. "I wonder if we could get through the windows." She mused sleepily. So Malfoy tried to open the windows, but to no avail. Whether he tried magic, or just used strength, they stayed firmly closed.

"So much for that idea."

"Yep. What's it like being a pureblood?"

Okay, random question. "If you come from an obsessed family like mine, you're expected to marry to another pureblood by the time you're eighteen, you'll probably have to follow the Dark Lord, if your parents follow him, and basically associate only with purebloods and follow in your father's footsteps. Unless, of course, you're a woman. Then if your family follows Voldemort, so do you, you're expected to marry by eighteen to a rich, pureblood family, and stay forever at home with the children. And either way, your marriage is arranged." He winced.

"Who's your wife-to-be?" asked Hermione sympathetically.

"Pansy and Blaise's mothers have been duking that out since we were all born. I'm not sure what would be worse: being married to Pansy or my best friend."

"At least Blaise has a brain," said Hermione.

"Good point. But it would be weird."

"Not necessarily."

"You wouldn't find it weird if you were married to Potter?"

"Okay, you're right, it would be weird."

"Thank you."

"But think, Malfoy. Who's to stop you from marrying who you want now that your father's gone?"

"Really, I could just kiss you right now!"

"What's to stop you?" asked a voice.

Malfoy gave Hermione a weird look. She returned with a glare. "Did that _sound_ like my voice?" she asked.

"No," he said sheepishly.

Hermione looked around, and saw the last sparks of green fade from the fire. "Oh come ON!" she said.

"What?"

"Someone was just in the fire. Dumbledore is my guess. Damn, this is ANNOYING! Screw this." She stood up and pulled out her wand. "Bombardo!" she screamed. The spell shot out of her wand, speeding for the wall, where it's purpose was to blow a hole. The spell hit the wall, and ricocheted off. Malfoy tackled Hermione and pinned her to the floor to keep her out of harm's way as the spell bounced around the room. Finally, it went into the fire and exploded, temporarily turning the fire green.

Hermione looked up into Malfoy's steel colored eyes. "I'm not sure whether to thank you or hit you," she said, humor twinkling in her eyes.

"And why would you hit me?"

"Because you're lying on top of me, a position I don't always like being in."

"What about now?" he was very hopeful of the answer.

"Well… no." with that, she pushed him off of her. Malfoy was very surprised by her answer, because she had been acting so warm towards him. Apparently she just wasn't there yet. But now, Malfoy was determined to get to her. Much like James's obsession for Lily, Malfoy was beginning to have an obsession for Hermione.

He looked up. She was gone. He found that she had changed into a tank top and pajama pants, and was lying in the middle of the bed, trying to sleep. Malfoy went into the walk-in closet, and looked at what was there. Hermione had been vague when she said there were clothes that looked to be their sizes. The clothes in the closet were _theirs_. Malfoy exited the closet wearing only boxers. Hermione noticed this when she saw him, and tried to keep herself from noticing his lean-muscled body. It was really difficult.

Then, to her complete horror, he climbed into the bed next to her, forcing her to either scoot over, or be pressed against him. Hermione hurriedly scooted to the other side of the bed.

"What the hell! I called the bed! Go sleep on the couch!"

"No." Hermione tried to push him out, which didn't work very well, considering he was so much bigger than she. Finally, she gave up, and laid down, back turned to him.

Malfoy sighed inwardly. Was she ever going to stop this?


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Is JK a fourteen-year-old girl? No? Well I am! I think…

A/N: Lots of HD action in this one! Don't worry, nothing past them snogging… in bath towels… But the towels stay on, I swear! Really, it's mostly gelled fluff and stuff. Which is making my need for a boyfriend even worse. So I'm gonna go to sleep, seeing as it's summer va-kay, and it's around 4:27 A.M., so, much luv, Sami

Hermione awoke smiling. She had no idea where she was, but she was content. The sky was cloudy, so the sun hadn't woken her up, which meant it was late. She had been dreaming about horses, another good sign. Someone's arms were wrapped around her, and her head was laying on that someone's well-muscled chest. Hermione was disoriented, and frantically trying to figure out who she was lying next to. Her body was pressed so close to his, she was pretty sure she couldn't get any closer.

Malfoy opened his eyes and looked down onto a smiling, sleeping face. What startled him was that it was Hermione's. _Wow, we must have been wasted last night,_ he thought with some amusement. Then he remembered that they were locked in a cabin in the middle of the woods, and nothing had happened. Damn.

Suddenly, Hermione sat up, and Malfoy quickly closed his eyes, feigning sleep. She crawled out of bed, went to the closet, then disappeared into the bathroom. He heard a shower running. Let her think he had slept through it.

After about ten minutes, Malfoy sauntered over to the closet. He grabbed what he wanted and opened the bathroom door. There were two showers; no reason not to make use of them both. He stepped inside the unoccupied one, undressed, then turned on the water. He heard Hermione's protesting shriek as she realized Malfoy was in the bathroom with her.

"GET OUT!" she screamed.

"There are two showers for a reason, Granger!"

"GET OUT!"

"No, I want my shower!"

"GET OUT! YOU CAN SHOWER _AFTER_ ME!"

"No reason for me not to shower while you are!"

"GET OUT RIGHT NOW!"

"Why should I?" Malfoy had the distinct feeling he was going to get slapped later.

"GET OUT OR I'M GOING TO SLAP YOU, THEN RACK YOU, THEN KICK YOU WHILE YOU'RE DOWN!" Yep.

"Before, or after you get dressed?"

"GET OUT YOU BLOODY PERVERT!"

"We're sharing a Common room and bathroom all year Granger, might as well get used to it."

"GET OUT! AND WE'RE NOT STAYING HERE ALL YEAR!"

"We have to in the Heads quarters," he said, smirking.

"GET OUT! AND STOP SMIRKING THAT BLOODY SMIRK!"

"How do you know I'm smirking?"

"GET OUT! I can just tell."

"Impressive." No comment. He assumed she was washing her hair.

When Malfoy was done showering, he Accio'd a towel to him and dried off, then tucked it around his waist. He heard Hermione turn her shower off, then watched as a towel flew into her shower.

Hermione stepped out of the shower with only a towel pinned tightly around her figure. By the look on her face, she'd thought he'd left. He stubbornly concentrated on doing his hair while she did hers.

"Why do you do that?" asked Hermione as he applied a crap load of gel to his hair.

"Because."

"You look better without the gel."

"How do you know?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Because you took the gel out before you went to bed."

"Oh, right. So you think I'm hott?" he asked smugly.

"NO! I just said you looked better without the gel."

"I'd swear you were flirting with me."

She rounded on him. "Oh YEAH! And what if I was? What would you do about it, huh?" Hermione became very aware that they were both clad in nothing but towels.

"Well, I'd probably do something like this," he said thoughtfully. Then he grabbed Hermione and pulled her towards him, covering her lips with his own. Her hands tried to go to his hair, but she kept them firmly holding her towel up as she returned the kiss. Malfoy pressed Hermione's body into his own as the kiss continued with not her objection, but with her full cooperation. Finally, they were forced to pull away, breathing heavily.

Hermione gave him a sweet, slightly confused smile, slapped him, then racked him. Again, Malfoy sank to the ground with an inaudible whine. And Hermione grabbed her clothes and walked out, giving him a light, but firm kick on her way.

Malfoy hobbled out eventually, only to find a fully clothed Hermione sitting on a big pillow writing something. At Malfoy's confused look, she explained in a clipped sort of voice.

"Well, this place has all sorts of secrets. That cabinet over there," she pointed to her left, "provides whatever you ask of it. So right now I'm doing my Transfiguration essay."

"Right." When Hermione had left the bathroom, she took Malfoy's robes with her, so he now headed to the closet, rather annoyed. He opened it to find all his clothes missing. "DAMMIT GRANGER, WHERE ARE MY BLOODY CLOTHES!" he bellowed.

"Well," mused Hermione. "My guess is wherever you left them. That is, of course, unless I took them…"

"Where the bloody hell are they!"

"Who said I took them?"

"Would you like me to traipse around in a towel all day?"

"It's a puzzle, Malfoy. An easy one at that. Besides, maybe I _do_ want you to traipse around in a towel all day."

He gave her a look, and she shrugged wickedly. "If you wanted me to, you wouldn't have racked me. You've got no idea how much that sodding hurts." Malfoy thought for a few minutes. "Oh, come on Granger! Where are my clothes?"

"Tisk, tisk, Malfoy. I guess you _are_ **second** in class for a reason. Besides, I said if you didn't leave the bathroom, you'd get slapped, racked, then kicked. Whoever said it had anything to do with the kiss?" Malfoy sat open-mouthed in shocked while Hermione smirked at him. Actually, she was smirking exactly as he did. _Damn,_ she thought. _Don't do that!_

"Ah hah!" Hermione watched with slight approval as Malfoy walked over to the earlier mentioned cabinet. "I want all of my clothes that Hermione Granger has hidden," he told it. Malfoy opened it up, and was buried beneath the mountain of clothes that avalanched out.

"Aw, does my wittle swick ass fewwet feewl vewy smawt?" cooed Hermione in a baby-like voice.

When Malfoy had dug his way out of the pile (yes, still holding the towel around his waist…), he gave her a look. "Why are you always so bleeding sarcastic?"

"Part of the charm."

"What charm?"

"Exactly." Malfoy gave her an odd look. "Never mind." :Malfoy leaves stage right to go change, then returns, wearing dark blue robes.::_sigh_:

"So," he said awkwardly. "What do you think about what just happened?"

"Well, I'm very impressed that you were able to crawl out of that mountain still holding that towel around your waist—"

"_Hermione_!" They both paused. Had he just called her Hermione? "Um, _Granger_…"

"Oh, about the _kiss_," she said evilly. "You want to know what I think about it?" he nodded. "What I _really_ think about it?" again, he nodded. "Well, why don't you try it again to find out." She smirked seductively.

Again, Malfoy's mouth descended upon hers. _She's a damn good kisser,_ he thought._ Damn, he's probably the best guy I've ever kissed. Helluva lot of experience. _In case you hadn't guessed, the last two comments were HERMIONE'S…

By now, it was sort of a full-blown snog session, Malfoy laying on top of Hermione on the couch.. Therefore, neither of them noticed when the fire turned green, and Albus Dumbledore's head appeared in the flames. He cleared his throat. And again. And again. "MISS GRANGER! MISTER MALFOY! PLEASE!"

Their heads jerked apart, causing Hermione to slam the back of her head into the nicely soft couch, and Malfoy to slam his head into an overhanging lamp.

"SHIT!" he rubbed his head, then looked up to see Dumbledore's face in the fire. "Oh, shit, sorry Headmaster."

"SHIT! HEADMASTER!"

"Hello, Miss Granger."

"Um, sorry?" she said, not looking the least bit sorry.

"Well, if you two have progressed this much, I think it's safe to let you both free. Good day." And his head disappeared.

Hermione looked at Malfoy, who looked back. They both shrugged and resumed snogging. After a few minutes, Hermione pulled away.

"Draco?" she asked, a little pouty.

"Hmm?" he loved the way his name sounded on her lips.

"What are we going to do when we decide to get out of here?"

Draco sat up, and pulled Hermione up, so they were sitting side by side on the couch, his arm over her shoulders.

"I don't know. I mean, I've liked you since third year, Hermione," he said, a mad blush rising on his cheeks. Okay, for him it was a mad blush, considering his pale cheeks turned slightly pink.

"And I've liked you since you taunted Buckbeak into attacking you. I mean, I couldn't help it; you looked so innocent and vulnerable, just lying there."

"Of course I looked vulnerable, I was bloody bleeding, no pun intended."

Hermione grinned, then frowned. "Do you really think we have what it takes, though?"

"Takes for what?"

"To withstand people's criticism. I mean, we're like mortal enemies. As far as everyone else is concerned, we've hated each other forever."

"Good point. I mean, people would just drop dead if we started going out, wouldn't they?" he asked, only slightly sarcastic.

"I don't know if I can pretend I hate you though, Draco."

"So in the public's eyes, we'll not have anything to do with each other. If we get caught together, it's strictly business. I mean, we _are_ the Heads."

"Yeah, that'll work. Until, of course, we get caught snogging in an empty broom closet."

Draco grinned. "I can't believe we kept up all this fighting, Hermione. We've missed out on so much."

Hermione turned suddenly serious. "Draco, the only way I can do this is if you turn yourself in." he nodded. "You swear?"

"I swear I will turn myself in."

"Well you have to swear _on_ something!"

"Okay, I swear on your sexiness that I will turn myself in."

"Draco," she laughed. "That doesn't count!"

"Sure it does," he said, returning to snogging his four-year crush.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: **Me**: I don't own this.

**The voices**: yes you do.

**Me**: Okay. I OWN HARRY POTTER!

**Men in white lab coats**: Yep, this one is not only schizophrenic, but she also hallucinates. they mutter and haul me away while I scream about how I own Sirius

A/N: uh, well, some expected snoggings, FINALLY. Well, maybe expected, unless you're Hermione and Draco. I think this is going to be a short chappie, as I want to get them to Christmas for… reasons. Go read!

Hermione smiled to herself a month later as she walked down the corridor with Draco. They had patrol duty together. They didn't speak, just enjoyed each other's company. If someone caught them talking in a friendly manner, there would be riots. Hermione heard noises coming from one of the broom closets. She cringed and glanced at Draco, who was grinning mercilessly.

Hermione opened the door, whispering 'Lumos'. Her jaw dropped and her eyes went wide as she saw the occupants. Draco followed suit. The couple who had been snogging in the broom closet were gaping at the Heads as well.

"Well if this isn't sufficiently awkward," said Draco.

"_Harry? Blaise?"_ said Hermione. The two black-haired teenagers were now blushing furiously.

"Uh, hi Hermione, Draco?" said Blaise.

"Yeah, we were just, uh… working on our Charms homework?" supplied Harry in the AWKWARD silence.

"I'm not positive charming my best friend counts as Charms homework," mused Draco.

Harry and Blaise looked at him as if he was from another planet. I mean, Draco being nice to Harry was… ODD, to say the least.

"Um, goodnight," said Hermione, shutting the door. "I'm going to forget that I just saw two of my best friends snogging in a broom closet."

Draco was laughing. "Did you see their faces when they realized you were shutting them back in there together? _The_ Hermione Granger promoting snogging in broom closets."

"I'm a baaaad Head Girl," said Hermione, grinning. "What do you say we go find an empty classroom," she said slyly, grinning.

Draco grinned back and opened the door of an empty classroom. "HOLY SHIT!" he yelled as his wand light fell on yet another snogging couple. Caught like two deer in headlights, looking right back at the two Head students, were Professors Remus Lupin and Anna Orlirox.

"Um, hi?" said Professor Lupin.

"H-hi professors," stuttered Hermione.

"Well," said Anna. "Since I _am_ the caretaker, and responsible for keeping students from snogging in empty classrooms and broom closets, I'm going to overlook whatever you were about to do in here if you overlook what you have just seen."

"Oh don't worry," said Draco. "I'm trying to erase it from my memory as you speak. Come on Mione." Professor Lupin gave Hermione a knowing look, as she had just been caught about to snog with her apparent mortal enemy, and she blushed deeply.

"Actually, Draco, can I have a word with the professors in private?" he nodded and left.

"So, er, professor Orlirox? Are you a-a werewolf?"

"Very good, Hermione," said Anna. "Remus told me of your brilliance. I didn't quite believe him. When did you figure out what I was?"

"Well, when I saw you, you reminded me of someone, I just couldn't remember. Then I saw professor Lupin, and I realized who you looked like. All right, with that cleared up, I'll leave you two to your midnight snog." Hermione turned to leave, but was stopped by Lupin's voice.

"So, Hermione, how long have you been secretly snogging Draco?"

Hermione blushed furiously. "Don't ask and I won't be tempted to tell about the two of you."

"Ah, leverage. You always were the brightest witch in your year."

"_Were_? I _am_ the brightest witch in my year, thank you."

"Then what would cause you to snog someone like Draco Malfoy?"

"You know about the prophecy," she accused.

"Yes, I'm just making sure you do."

"_Goodnight_, professors," said Hermione, leaving quickly. Outside of the room, she found Draco, and together, they sought an empty classroom for a midnight snog.

"You know," said Hermione, as they headed back to the Head rooms. "I don't know why we don't just snog in our Common Room or something. I mean, there's a LOT less risk of being caught."

"Hermione's a sexy goddess," he said to the painting.

"Thank you."

"Any time. Well, we _could_ use the Common Room. Want to start?"

Hermione laughed. "I have a Charms test tomorrow, and so do you. I'm going to sleep, as much as I would like to make out with you right now." She gave him one last kiss and headed to bed.

The next morning, Hermione and Draco had a quick snog session and headed down to breakfast. Sitting down, Hermione grinned widely at Harry, who blushed madly.

"So. Harry. Something you'd care to share?" she asked wickedly.

"So. Hermione. Something you'd care to share?" he asked, just as wickedly.

"I-I have no idea what you're talking about."

"What have you done to Malfoy?" he whispered, making sure no one could hear.

"Nothing," she told him sweetly. "Oh, would you look at that. I left my bag up in my room. Silly me." With that she stood up and left, a smirking Harry, and insanely confused Ron looking after her.

"So Blaise," whispered Draco in his best friend's ear. "Snogging Potter, are we?"

"Only if you're snogging Hermione," she shot back, equally as quiet.

"What makes you think that?" he asked desperately.

Blaise snorted. "Please. I'm your best friend. I think you two are a good match, personally."

Draco saw Hermione leave. "Goodbye Blaise."

"Bye, bye, lover boy."

Draco found Hermione in the hall outside of the GREAT Hall, trying to hold back giggles.

"What?" asked Draco, her infectious giggles causing him to grin.

Hermione tried to calm herself. "It- it's just (giggles) that w-we all (hysterical laughter) think we're s-so sneaky (muffled laughter) w-with our p-personal lives (insane giggles). I-I'm sure th-the professors and everyone e-else(manic laughter) all know a-about us! (she giggled some more) I m-mean, H-harry knows, (maniacal giggles) and I-I'm sure Blaise does. (her body shook with mirth) And H-harry and B-Blaise thought they could keep (she wiped tears on the sleeve of her robe) th-their relationsh-ship from u-us, and hell, we c-caught them snogging in a f-freaking broom closet!" she collapsed into silent giggles, and Draco shook his head at his love.

Woah, what the hell? LOVE? Was he ready for this? He looked at the slight girl whose body was racked with laughter, her hair falling into her face. _Yes,_ he realized with a start. _I am_. Draco helped Hermione up off of the floor, and they walked together to Charms, him thinking all the while: I'M IN LOVE!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I'll think about claiming this as soon as they let me out of this comfy, padded room.

Hermione opened her eyes Christmas morning and smiled. She had been having the best dreams. And I mean, the BEST dreams. Taking a horseback ride with Draco, then snogging with him on a beach. Yeah, the BEST dreams. She looked to the foot of her bed and grinned. A good-sized mountain of presents rested there. Hermione waved her wand and levitated the pile into the common room. Draco was no where to be seen, but Harry and Blaise were sitting on the common room floor, waiting for her. Ron had gone home for the Holidays. Hermione grinned at her two friends evilly. One look at their swollen lips told her how they'd been passing time waiting for her to wake up.

When all the presents had been opened, Hermione sent Blaise and Harry off to snog somewhere while she showered and crap like that. Back in her room, Hermione noticed a letter that had apparently been in the stack of presents, but she had missed. She frowned, and picked it up. On the front, it clearly said 'Mione' in solid, slightly rough writing in emerald green ink. _Draco,_ she thought, smiling.

She opened the envelope, and a few papers fell out. First was an actual letter.

'_Dear Hermione,_

_I've realized, lately, that I have fallen in love with a certain Lioness. Have you heard of her? She's witty, cunning, and amazingly gorgeous. She has tamed the Dragon, as it was written. This Lioness has claimed my heart, and made me see what must become of me. This Christmas, I wondered what I could possibly give to this creature who has captured me so. I hope she enjoys it._

_Love always,_

_Dragon'_

Hermione was open-mouthed in shock. He _loved _her? Love? _Love?_ LOVE? Her emotions practically drowned her. I mean, the seventeen-year-old was speaking of LOVE! Then it hit her. _Oh my dear god, I love the infernal man! HOLY CRAP! LOVE! I love him I love him I love him! Okay, I'm officially insane._

She picked up the other papers, and gasped. One was a bill of sale for a seven-year-old, 15.2 hand high, light gray Azteca mare. Next were the mare's papers. Andalusian sire, Quarter Horse dam. A picture of the mare was also in the envelope. Hermione's jaw dropped. The mare was the purest white, with an elegant head, and athletic body, as was the Azteca trade mark. Another paper marked that the mare, Miss Google Eyes (Hermione giggled at the name), was in foal to the stallion Dot Com.

Very carefully and with extreme deliberation, Hermione laid the papers out on the bed, and went to find Draco. She found him standing in the GREAT Hall, talking with his Slytherin buddies. Hermione ran at him and threw herself into his arms, giving him a searing kiss. The entire Hall went completely silent.

"I take it that means you liked your present?" asked Draco when they came up for air.

"I love you Draco." Jaws were dropping, eyes were popping, and Harry and Blaise were fighting to hide their laughter at everyone's reactions.

"Good, because I love you too, my Lioness." Hermione kissed him again. And again. And again.

"Would you two mind taking this elsewhere?" asked Blaise, grinning like a wolf. "We're TRYING to eat, here." Hermione looked around. Everyone was still staring at her and Draco. A lot of guys were giving Draco envious glares. They'd sure as hell like to make out with Hermione Granger.

"Doesn't LOOK like anyone's trying to eat," said Draco.

"Oh, go snog where we can't see you," said Blaise.

"Okay," chorused Draco and Hermione. They put their arms around each other and walked out of the GREAT Hall. And spent the rest of the day snogging in their Common Room.

A/N: I know, I know, it's REALLY short chappie. I'M SORRY! No! No lynch mobs! Please! I promise I'll be good!


	8. Chapter 8

Draco whistled nervously while he fingered the box in his pocket. It was more than it seemed, it really was. Some may say that proposing marriage to someone is the hardest thing you'll ever do. But this was far harder. He looked up at the cloudy February sky and sighed. Today was their six month anniversary.

Six months may not seem like that long, but Draco didn't have much time. It was now or never. He knew she was getting suspicious. He hadn't turned himself in. This was his only option. Hermione glided over to him, all smiles. Draco grinned nervously. She was so damned beautiful.

"Hey baby," he managed to say. "You look beautiful." She did. Wearing Ravenclaw-blue dress robes and the silver necklace he had given her for her seventeenth birthday last month, she really was a beauty.

"Not to shabby yourself," she said with a grin, indicating his fine, black robes. They walked to the Room of Requirements, where Draco created a romantic atmosphere with floating candles, a table set for two, and even a cool little waiter guy.

They talked throughout dinner, Draco giving quick, nervous answers, Hermione grinning at his obvious discomfort. During dessert, Hermione started laughing.

"What?" asked Draco.

Hermione controlled herself with obvious effort. "Do you want to get it over with, or shall I do it for you?"

Draco's jaw practically touched the carpet. "Wha- Bu- Ho-" he stuttered.

"Well?"

Draco snapped out of it. He stood, and took Hermione's slender hands in his own large ones, pulling her to her feet. She was grinning like the Cheshire cat. Still holding her hands, Draco went down on one knee.

"Hermione, I know we haven't been seeing each other for very long, but I've loved you much longer. Every second I'm with you makes me want to spend every last second of my life in your presence. You're my world, my everything. We're young, Hermione, very young. But I need you to answer one question for me."

"Yes?" asked Hermione, her eyes shining with love.

Draco reached into his pocket and pulled out the velvet box. He opened it to reveal (Hermione gasped) a four carat diamond set in gold. The diamond, Hermione could tell, was of the best quality, without even the slightest yellow tint.

"Will you, Hermione Granger, do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Hermione licked her suddenly dry lips. "Yes. I love you Draco." He slipped the ring on her left ring finger.

"I love you too, Hermione."

Hermione woke up the next morning. _Okay, now THAT was the best dream ever. Imagine, me being engaged to Draco._ Her left hand felt abnormally heavy. She looked at it, and realized that there was a four carat diamond on her finger. _OH MY GOD IT WASN'T A DREAM!_

Shaking, Hermione owled her parents with the news, then took a shower, trying to calm herself. I mean, it wasn't every day she got engaged to the love of her life! Showered and dressed, Hermione headed down to the Common Room. She found a note from Draco, saying his mansion had been broken into the night before, and he had been called home during the middle of the night. Hermione frowned, hoping he wasn't avoiding her.

In the GREAT Hall, she said good morning to her friends, and began buttering a bagel. Blaise was sitting at the Gryffindor table because, well, because she felt like it, I guess. All of a sudden, Ron froze.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS THAT?" Harry, Ginny, and the other Gryffies (and Blaise!) froze as they saw what Ron was talking about.

"What?" asked Hermione, confused. Blaise grinned and pointed to her own finger. Hermione went red. "Oh, that." She said, winking at Blaise and Harry. "That would be an engagement ring, m'dear."

"WELL WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS IT DOING ON YOUR FINGER!" bellowed Ron. Hermione rolled her eyes. Ron was always so irrational. She had NO idea how Luna survived.

"Well, it was placed there by the man who asked me to marry him." Ron's eyes bugged out of his head in surprise.

"Who?" asked Ginny.

"Draco Malfoy." Silverware fell to the floor, and several students began choking on their breakfast. Someone fainted. Okay, a few someones fainted. Hermione smirked.

"THE Draco Malfoy?" asked Seamus. "Your sworn enemy, Draco Malfoy?"

"I'm pretty sure, yeah," said Hermione.

Blaise chuckled. "That's my girl."

A student rushed into the GREAT Hall, clutching that day's Daily Prophet, sobbing. Someone asked her what was the matter. She handed the paper to the boy, who was a seventh year Ravenclaw. His face turned very grave. He walked over to Hermione and wordlessly set the paper down in front of her. Confused Hermione read the headline. The diamond ring slipped off of her finger, and the Ravenclaw caught Hermione as she slumped backwards in a dead faint.

Frowning, Blaise read the headline, and started sobbing. "**_Malfoy Mansion Pillaged, Draco Malfoy Murdered!_**"


	9. Chapter 9

Hermione looked at her tear-streaked face in the mirror. It seemed she hadn't stopped crying since that day. She was wearing Gryffindor robes and a certain ring on a gold chain around her neck. She tried to wipe her tears away, but it was pointless, as they kept coming back, smearing her mascara, making it run down her cheeks. She gave up. He shouldn't _be_ forgotten. She headed down to the GREAT Hall to make her farewell speech.

She was sitting slightly apart from her friends. They all _had_ someone. And Hermione didn't _want_ someone. She wanted him. Dumbledore was standing at the front.

"Tonight," he said. "Is a glorious night for you. Because tonight you enter the world as fully certified witches and wizards. It seems like just yesterday I was seeing your young faces for the first time. As I recall, you were all much smaller then." He chuckled. "In these last seven years, you have all grown and flourished in your teaching. You will pursue different courses, and I hope you will remain in contact with the friends you have made in and out of your houses. So without further ado, I give you your Head Girl, Hermione Granger." There was thunderous applause. Not just from the Gryffies, but also the Hufflepuffs, the Ravenclaws, and even the Slytherins, who had come to tolerate her through Draco.

"We have all gone through a lot together, in these past seven years. From Quidditch games to battling evil." She scanned the crowd, fixing her eyes on every face, one at a time, memorizing them. "It is a shame that I should stand here tonight, delivering this speech alone. Draco Malfoy, the Head Boy, should be standing here next to me, graduating right beside the rest of us. His death was a result of the Dark Times. In seven years, much has happened. I look at you all now, and see faces missing that were with us our first year. Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, Slytherins, and Gryffindors are absent from our midst. Fourteen in all," Hermione choked back a small sob. "Many were my friends, and I miss them dearly. And for those who were not, I mourn not knowing them.

"But I can say, that light times are ahead. The Death Eaters have been sent to Azkaban, where they can not cause any more pain to us. Who has lost a loved one, a friend, or even an acquaintance to this era?" hands went up, and Hermione scanned the crowd. "I see not one person who hasn't been scarred by this tragedy.

"Our Houses have become our family. Our support system. Our brothers and sisters. When you graduate tonight, you may ask yourself what the bloody hell you're going to do without them." Hermione wiped her tears off of her cheeks.

"This is something Draco and I were working on all year." She held up a hand-held mirror. Harry's jaw dropped. "We made one for every person in this room. Just whisper the name of the person you wish to see, and you will appear on their end of the mirror, and they will appear in yours. It's like having a face-to-face conversation without having to be in the same room as the person. And if the person you wish to see is… no longer with us, the mirror will show you a vision of them as you remember them. _So we will not forget_."

Hermione looked at the faces in the GREAT Hall. They were her friends, her family, her comrades. Ron, her brother through all of their adventures, who was so protective of both her and Ginny, who was so in love with Luna. Ginny, the one scarred by her time in the Chamber, the only one who could successfully keep a leash on Seamus. Blaise, who took that life-threatening journey with her and together killed Voldemort, who could put Draco in his place, who looked at Harry with such adoration. Harry, The Boy Who Lived, who was the cause of so many of her adventures, the ones she at first resented, her solid friend, the green-eyed boy who was proposing to Blaise. Tonight.

"I wish you all luck and safety on your journeys. But remember your loony Head Girl when you're older, kay?" there was silence for a moment, then deafening applause as Hermione's words burned themselves into the hearts and souls of everyone there.

She looked up one last time with tear-filled eyes. There was a figure lounging in the back nonchalantly. Hermione's brow wrinkled in confusion. The entire Hall went quiet as the figure walked forward. The man stopped in front of Hermione and went down on one knee.

"Can you ever forgive me?"

The man had hair such a light brown that it was more of a dirty blonde. His skin was tanned, his arms corded with hard muscles. But his eyes were the exact same steel gray. Hermione threw herself at the man, flattening him, kissing him frantically.

"DRACO!" screamed Blaise, who ran to him, as he was now simply holding a crying Hermione. Blaise threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. Since Hermione couldn't exactly speak, Blaise voiced what she knew the girl wanted to say. "WHERE THE BLOODY FUCKING HELL HAVE YOU BEEN!"

"Well," he said calmly. "First, I was at my house, then I was at the Ministry, then I was at Saint Mungo's, then I was in the W.P.P."

"Wizarding Protection Program?" asked Harry.

"Why the hell were you in Saint Mungo's to begin with?" Blaise asked, a little more reasonably than before.

"Well, my estate really was broken into, so I had to go home to sort everything out. My mother was hysterical. I figured it was as good a time as any to turn myself in to the Ministry, and I was on my way back here when some nut attacked me for being, you know. So the Ministry figured I might as well use that to fake my death. And I've been in the WPP for the last four months. Now you're all up to speed."

"Well," chirped Blaise. "At least now you get to graduate!"

"I am going to kill you Draco Malfoy," said Hermione. "If you don't kiss me right this freaking instant." He obeyed.


End file.
